NZ Election 2026

East Cape electorate

East Cape covers the central North Island’s east coast centres, including towns such as Whakātane, Ōpotiki, and Gisborne. The electorate has been established for this election, however its predecessor East Coast electorate was won by National’s Dana Kirkpatrick by a margin of 17,007 votes. Kirkpatrick will stand for East Cape in 2026. The electorate previously existed between 1978 and 1990.

East Cape candidates

Explore the candidates in your area

Jo Luxton

Labour Party

Darrin Hawkes

ACT Party

Cail Smith

Opportunity Party

Dana Kirkpatrick

National Party

Jordan Walker

Green Party

Darrin Hawkes

ACT Party

Why I'm standing

I am asking you to give your party vote to ACT. I want what NZ needs, where more ACT MPs will fight to cut waste and balance the books, prevent new taxes, staunchly defend equal rights, deliver better public services, cut red tape, and restore real consequences for crime. I'm asking those in the East Cape electorate to choose whichever candidate you believe will best represent our region, and give your party vote to ACT.

About me

I'm consistently driven to listen and achieve objectives to improve our region and country. I trust Act representatives to ethically represent, and I put NZ ahead of personal ambition. I'm asking you to give your party vote to ACT to Lock Labour Out. This will ensure we keep the current coalition Government in power to continue recovery and rebuild further and faster on the issues that make a better life for you. Party vote ACT.

My priorities

  1. Balance the books & grow the economy with no new taxes so incomes rise faster than living costs.
  2. Deliver better services for taxpayers: education, police, and match Australia on medicines funding.
  3. Make decisions based on need, not race. Work towards one law for all and one future together.

Get across the policies, candidates and parties

Don’t know who to vote for? Policy.nz is the complete guide to the 2026 general election. Compare the parties, candidates and policies to see where you stand.

Policies

Compare the parties’ positions on the key issues this election

Candidates

See the electorate candidates running in your local area

Parties

Learn about each political party, its leaders and candidate list

Things to know...

Your two votes shape New Zealand’s next parliament. You need to be enrolled to vote.

Read explainer

  • Enrol to vote by Sunday 25 October

    You need to be enrolled before you can vote. You can enrol online at vote.nz.

  • Voting day is Saturday 7 November

    Head to your nearest voting place on the day, or vote early from 26 October.

  • You get two votes

    One for a party (the party vote) and one for a person in your area (the electorate vote).

  • Your party vote is the most powerful

    It decides how many seats each party gets in Parliament. That’s what Policy helps you figure out.